Sashing/Cornerstone Q.

That's a really lovely quilt, Sherry.
The quilting is gorgeous. The density of it is amazing.
(And the binding is so straight and un-wavy - well done indeed).

I'm so glad we were able to see it. First for hand quilting? Wow!

Those kittens are completely adorable.
..
In message . com,
Sherry writes

What??!! I can get a happy dance??? Is there a statute of limitation
on this?

LOL. I finished a smallish quilt a couple of months ago. It was the
first one I
ever handquilted that I felt like I'd finally gotten the hang of it.
It was just
some scrappy Garden Walk blocks sewn together with sashing & a border.
Here's a pic! Also, please check out the one I'm working on now that I
got
so frustrated with the sashings. Soon as I put a border on it I'll be
finished with
the top.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...01618540tXjVIo

Thanks! For all your help.
Sherry


--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

On Jul 30, 2:05 am, Patti wrote:
That's a really lovely quilt, Sherry.
The quilting is gorgeous. The density of it is amazing.
(And the binding is so straight and un-wavy - well done indeed).

I'm so glad we were able to see it. First for hand quilting? Wow!

Those kittens are completely adorable.
.
Thanks, Patti. It's the third one I've handquilted, but the first one
where I really think I've figured it out. It's such
a learning process! I pretty much learned from websites and books (and
this group), I really wished my grandmother or the aunts
were still living to help! The first one was pretty bad. I used a
really highloft polyester because I didn't know better and
couldn't figure out why I could *not* get a decent stitch going. The
second quilt I used Dream batting, it was so much easier! Third
one I tried Heirloom wool, and liked it even better. What I"m trying
to figure out now is a better way to mark the quilt, I use stencils
now but the choices are so limited. I bought Alex Anderson's book, and
her suggestion to use a light table just doesn't work for me. The
fabric is too dark, you can't see through it, it was so frustrating.
But once the quilt is marked, and on the frame, I just love sitting
there and working on it. (p.s.--I have a bad case of quilt-frame-envy
after seeing the photo of John's frame here)
And the kittens, oh my. I must learn to say "no." They were orphans of
a feral mother that was killed by dogs. Someone asked me to take them.
I hope to find homes for them soon, since I have too many QI's
already.

Sherry

On Sun, 29 Jul 2007 07:20:46 -0700, Sherry wrote:

I just don't get this. It hangs me up every time, and it's surely not
such a complicated thing.

I just have a devil of a time getting the cornerstones/sashing to
intersect properly (I used 2-inch little "border" between each 9.5
inch block,.

I measured the blocks and squared them. Measured each strip. I use one
of those "guides" on the machine that makes a consistent 1/4 inch
seam. Still they are off.

I've even done the sashing without cornerstones, and some of the
vertical strips are still off. I'd normall just think I screwed up on
the measurement of the blocks, but this time I measured really
carefully.

Is there a trick to this that helps?

Thanks

Sherry

Everyone else has given excellent advice. Let me just add that my
quilts improved markedly when I began cutting my sashing strips along
the length of the fabric, rather than across the width of the fabric
(selvage to selvage). There is much less stretch along the length of
the grain. Maybe give it a try?



-- Jo in Scotland

On Sun, 29 Jul 2007 07:20:46 -0700, Sherry wrote:

I just don't get this. It hangs me up every time, and it's surely not
such a complicated thing.

I just have a devil of a time getting the cornerstones/sashing to
intersect properly (I used 2-inch little "border" between each 9.5
inch block,.

I measured the blocks and squared them. Measured each strip. I use one
of those "guides" on the machine that makes a consistent 1/4 inch
seam. Still they are off.

I've even done the sashing without cornerstones, and some of the
vertical strips are still off. I'd normall just think I screwed up on
the measurement of the blocks, but this time I measured really
carefully.

Is there a trick to this that helps?

Thanks

Sherry

Are you trying to sew a row of blocks and sashing to a row of sashing
and cornerstones? That is the hard way. Try to get your hands on a
copy of Fons & Porter's Complete Guide to Quilting. It will show you
exactly how to do it and it is easy. Their way is that you add
sashing (with or without cornerstones) to one or more sides of each
block individually, then sew the blocks into rows. I got nicely
matching rows and cornerstones on my first ever quilt and I believe it
was due to using the Fons & Porter method. I always need to see the
diagram in the book to be able to do it, as you only put sashing on
certain sides of each block before sewing the rows and I'm afraid I'll
get it wrong and end up with double sashing somewhere.
Debra in VA
See my quilts at
http://community.webshots.com/user/debplayshere

Sherry,
Although my 1/4 inch seam isn't, I've found that pressing is almost as
important in keeping things the right size.
You'll have to get your advice about pressing from someone that really knows
what they're talking about but it can make a BIG difference.
Donna in Bellevue

"Sherry" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Jul 29, 9:42 am, Patti wrote:
If your measurements are correct, Sherry, I suggest that you pin the
strips at the beginning and the end of the block, and in the middle.
You didn't say how much you were 'off', but if it is only a small
amount, it is probably slight movement when you are sewing (due to feed
dogs pulling more than the top - using the walking foot might help avoid
this, too). When doing the longer sashings, pin all the way along -
most importantly at the intended intersections. Even if you have
measured beautifully, if you don't fix the strip while you are sewing,
you may well end up with a small amount of movement on these too.
.
In message .com,

think you're right about the feed dogs, because it's always "off" in
the same direction.
I don't use very many pins. It's such a bother, but that may very well
be the problem.
Thanks!

Sherry

On Mon, 30 Jul 2007 15:12:27 -0500, Donna in Bellevue wrote
(in article ):

Sherry,
Although my 1/4 inch seam isn't, I've found that pressing is almost as
important in keeping things the right size.
You'll have to get your advice about pressing from someone that really knows
what they're talking about but it can make a BIG difference.
Donna in Bellevue

"Sherry" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Jul 29, 9:42 am, Patti wrote:
If your measurements are correct, Sherry, I suggest that you pin the
strips at the beginning and the end of the block, and in the middle.
You didn't say how much you were 'off', but if it is only a small
amount, it is probably slight movement when you are sewing (due to feed
dogs pulling more than the top - using the walking foot might help avoid
this, too). When doing the longer sashings, pin all the way along -
most importantly at the intended intersections. Even if you have
measured beautifully, if you don't fix the strip while you are sewing,
you may well end up with a small amount of movement on these too.
.
In message .com,

think you're right about the feed dogs, because it's always "off" in
the same direction.
I don't use very many pins. It's such a bother, but that may very well
be the problem.
Thanks!

Sherry




Also, I' learned a neat trick at the workshop Carol Doak gave for our guild.
She had us pin the match points (just a couple of stitches over each pin, not
the whole seam) and then quickly open up the seam to see if things are
matched up properly. If so, you can then sew the whole seam. If not, you
can just take out a few basting stitches, give your fabric a nudge, and then
rebaste. I did this with a celtic illusions top I just finished and it works
great! Seems like a lot of extra work, but beats ripping out all the seams
because you don't like the way it looks.

Maureen

On Sun, 29 Jul 2007 19:39:38 -0500, Sherry wrote
(in article . com):


Oh, thank you Sandy. It took me forever, but DH works nights and I'd
sit & listen to music, quilt,
and I actually enjoyed that part.
I'm so slow! DH said if I was a pioneer woman my family would have
already froze to death. :-)

Sherry


If you were a pioneer woman, all your friends would have been over for a
quilting bee while your DH was harvesting the crop. ;-)

That is a delight, Sherry. I am doing the Virginia Reel
for your lovely colors and fine hand quilting. (In the
Kingdom of RCTQ, we don't limit Happy Dancing!)
PAT in VA/USA

Sherry wrote:

What??!! I can get a happy dance??? Is there a statute of limitation
on this?

LOL. I finished a smallish quilt a couple of months ago. It was the
first one I
ever handquilted that I felt like I'd finally gotten the hang of it.
It was just
some scrappy Garden Walk blocks sewn together with sashing & a border.
Here's a pic! Also, please check out the one I'm working on now that I
got
so frustrated with the sashings. Soon as I put a border on it I'll be
finished with
the top.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...01618540tXjVIo

Thanks! For all your help.
Sherry

Thanks for this, Kathyl. I'd like to add a suggestion.
If the blocks are varied, just go ahead and add the
bottom and right sashing, with one corner stone, to
each and every block during the block piecing. When all
are finished, arrange the blocks and decide which ones
will need further sashing ... the top and left for
example. This has worked nicely for me when making a
sampler. Heck, once I had the bee add those initial
sashing parts when the each made me a block. My quilt
was nearly done when I got the blocks back. It is now
in a place of honor at my DSis house. PAT in VA/USA

KJ wrote:

If I'm doing sashing and cornerstones, I incorporate it as part of my block
rather than waiting to sew the long strips in later. For instance, the top
left block will have the sashing and corner stones around three sides...not
the bottom. Then the next one to it will have the sashing and cornerstone
at the top and the sashing on the right hand side...and so on until the end
of the row. Then the next row will have the three sided sashed block to
start the row again. When you get to the bottom....you need to add the
sashing again across the bottom of the blocks. So the first block in the
row will be sashed on all sides and the subsequent ones on three sides. I
find it a lot easier to then sew the enhanced blocks together. Clear as
mud???

That's even more efficient Pat. Every block is then ready for any place on
the quilt and the other pieces can be added last.
Great suggestion!

--
Kathyl (KJ)
remove "nospam" before mchsi
http://community.webshots.com/user/kathylquiltz
"Pat in Virginia" wrote in message
...
Thanks for this, Kathyl. I'd like to add a suggestion. If the blocks are
varied, just go ahead and add the bottom and right sashing, with one
corner stone, to each and every block during the block piecing. When all
are finished, arrange the blocks and decide which ones will need further
sashing ... the top and left for example. This has worked nicely for me
when making a sampler. Heck, once I had the bee add those initial sashing
parts when the each made me a block. My quilt was nearly done when I got
the blocks back. It is now in a place of honor at my DSis house. PAT in
VA/USA

KJ wrote:

If I'm doing sashing and cornerstones, I incorporate it as part of my
block rather than waiting to sew the long strips in later. For instance,
the top left block will have the sashing and corner stones around three
sides...not the bottom. Then the next one to it will have the sashing
and cornerstone at the top and the sashing on the right hand side...and
so on until the end of the row. Then the next row will have the three
sided sashed block to start the row again. When you get to the
bottom....you need to add the sashing again across the bottom of the
blocks. So the first block in the row will be sashed on all sides and
the subsequent ones on three sides. I find it a lot easier to then sew
the enhanced blocks together. Clear as mud???